''Rebel'' is a 1985 Australian musical drama directed by Michael Jenkins and starring Matt Dillon,

Debra Byrne Debra Anne Byrne (born 30 March 1957), formerly billed as Debbie Byrne, is an Australian pop singer, variety entertainer, theatre and TV actress and writer, director and choreographer of cabaret. From April 1971 to March 1975 she was a founding ...

, and

Bryan Brown Bryan Neathway Brown AM (born 23 June 1947) is an Australian actor. He has performed in over eighty film and television projects since the late 1970s, both in his native Australia and abroad. Notable films include '' Breaker Morant'' (1980), ...

. It is set in World War Two.

''No Names No Pack Drill''

The movie was based on the play ''No Names, No Packdrill'', by Bob Herbert, uncle of

Louis Nowra Mark Doyle, better known by his stage name Louis Nowra, (born 12 December 1950) is an Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist. He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights. His works have been performed by all o ...

. The play had its premiere in 1979 at the University of New England. The play was performed by the Sydney Theatre Company in 1980 starring

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apoca ...

and

Noni Hazlehurst Leonie Elva "Noni" Hazlehurst , (born 17 August 1953) is an Australian actress, director, writer, presenter and broadcaster who has appeared on television and radio, in dramas, mini-series and made for television films, as well also on sta ...

, directed by

George Ogilvie George Buchan Ogilvie (5 March 1931 – 5 April 2020) was a prolific Australian theatre director and actor, who also worked as a director and actor within film and television. Life and career George Ogilvie began as an actor at the Canberra ...

. The production was so popular the season was extended at the Theatre Royal. It has been revived several times, notably in 2006.

Production

Considerable changes were made from the play, including turning the female lead from a postal worker into a singer in a female band. It was originally hoped to cast

Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the ...

in this role but

was cast instead and made a great personal success in it.David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Pan MacMillan, 1990 p114 Director Mike Jenkins decided to push the musical aspect, and went for a stylised approach in collaboration with designer Brian Thomson. The manager Matt Dillon, who was imported to play the lead, did not like the approach, saying it was too much like a Francis Ford Coppola movie - which Thomson took as a compliment. He wanted his client to appear in a straight period film closer to ''Breaker Morant''. However Jenkins and Thomson's vision prevailed.Paul Kalina, "Seeing Red", ''Cinema Papers'', January 1986 p23-25

Reception

The film was not a success. Director Mike Jenkins later said that:

It's funny, ''Rebel'' has attracted some fierce critiques from intellectuals who subsequently liked other things that I've done. But it also won five AFI awards and was the most nominated film of its year. It was a curious piece; it didn't altogether work. I was interested in it because of the basic story about the American boy who wants to desert. It said something about Australia and Sydney in World War II.Interview with Mike Jenkins, 25 March 1996
accessed 19 October 2012

Soundtrack

A Soundtrack was released in December 1985 and credited to Matt Dillon and Debbie Byrne. The album peaked at number 75 on the Kent Music Report.

References

External links

*
''Rebel''
at ''The New York Times'' * * 1985 films Australian musical drama films Australian films based on plays Films about deserters Films scored by Chris Neal (songwriter) 1980s English-language films Films directed by Michael Jenkins 1980s Australian films {{1980s-Australia-film-stub